WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar is higher amid strong data out of China and the US and a rally on global stock markets.
At 0630 AEDT on Tuesday, the local unit was trading at 91.05 US cents, up from 90.90 cents on Monday.
And the Australian share market looks set to open flat following rises on international markets after surprisingly strong US jobs figures.
At 0653 AEDT on Tuesday, the December share price index futures contract was steady at 5,143.
ELSEWHERE:
FRANKFURT - The German economic engine, one of the drivers of recovery in the 17-country eurozone, appears to be stalling, with industrial output declining and exports nearly grinding to a halt, data shows.
ATHENS - Greek consumer prices continued to drop in November, with a 2.9 per cent decline on a 12-month comparison confirming the country's deflationary course, official data shows.
LAGOS - Nigeria's finance minister has offered a sobering view of the country's economy, saying growth has mostly benefited the rich and failed to generate enough jobs to ease unemployment.
BERLIN - European aerospace giant EADS, the maker of Airbus aircraft, has announced plans to cut 5800 jobs in its defence and space division over three years.
WASHINGTON - American Airlines and US Airways have merged to create the new American Airlines, the world's largest airline, after overcoming antitrust concerns.
HOUSTON - Sysco is buying the food distributor US Foods for about $US3.5 billion ($A3.8 billion) in cash and stock.
OAK BROOK, Illinois - McDonald's says a key sales figure rose 0.5 per cent in November, even as the world's biggest hamburger chain faces tough competition and basically flat traffic in the US.
STOCKHOLM - The Swedish fashion giant H&M says it may raise retail prices in the future in order to pay better wages to some of the world's poorest textile workers.
